The "Complaints about [your] band" thread

[EddiePlaysBass]

Need a lead guitar in Project A.

Need a Vox and guitar in Project B.

CL add nets three guitars and a vox.

One guitar and the vox flake as soon as set up auditions. One is from a band that previously fired me. I think the guy is trolling.

 

Musicians suck.

 

Ain't that the truth ... If I could, I'd start a band without musici... no wait, tried that already

[jlrush]

....only play songs the singer picks.

That's the way it's gone in every band I've been in. In a way it's a valid reason, but a singer COULD be flexible if they wanted.

 

"I really haven't had time for that."

Now that's another story.

[5 string Mike]

I realised last night what my course of action should be, namely imitation of their behaviour. That comes down to simply this: do nothing. I will not book any gigs, I will not suggest any songs, I will do nothing but play bass. Provided I will bother to actually learn any parts for suggestions of theirs.

 

 

So I'm not going to bother anymore. ...

 

I read a quote here ecently something akin to 'the one thing about having a 5 year old child that amazes me is how quickly they get us parents to behave like them'.

 

I totally understand your frustrations but if you do that and the thing crumbles, all they will see is 'it's Eddie's fault'.

 

One thing I would do is let everybody know where you stand. If he comes back with that 'I haven't had time for that' then I'd just tell them 'I'm wasting my time here. Call me when you get your act together', pack up and go home.

 

As tempting as it is to give them a dose of their own medicine, it's a no-win situation. Like my old man used to tell me, "doing bad business is worse than doing no business." Likewise, acting like them isn't going to do anything but make you look foolish. Put it on the table. Let people know where you stand and let the chips fall where they may.

[EddiePlaysBass]

I totally understand your frustrations but if you do that and the thing crumbles, all they will see is 'it's Eddie's fault'.

 

I won't. I mean, I will keep looking for gigs (just found two more possible leads) and I have been surfing for a demo studio today + thinking of a design for t-shirts to fund the studio expenses. And I'll never come to a rehearsal ill-prepared. Even if it means learning songs I know I'll never get to actually play with them, because I'm the only one taking the time to learn them.

 

The change is this: I won't go out of my way to find gigs or anything else anymore. I'll do it if and when I have some free time and feel like it. I won't even suggest we learn any particular tune, nor try to get them to agree on one. Our singer wants that role, apparently, so it's his to have.

[EddiePlaysBass]

The guitarist in the band I was in and thinking about quitting just quit....I guess that I don't have to be the bad guy then.

 

I love how things can sometimes really work out for the best

[J. Dan]

I won't even suggest we learn any particular tune, nor try to get them to agree on one. Our singer wants that role, apparently, so it's his to have.

 

Our drummer has strong opinions about song selection and set list. A few times he threw a fit over songs that I put on the list to learn. Rather than push the issue and fight about it, I pulled them - I'd rather pick my battles.

 

One time I suggested a song and he immediately chimed in "What?! No way! Nobody's gonna know that, forget about it!" A few months later, the song was playing over club music and he says "Hey we should play this". I immediately ripped him a new one that I suggested that and he gave me trouble - I repeated his exact response back to him. He remembered it and admitted that he didn't know which song I was talking about. Since then, he's not been so quick to judge and has been a little more open.

 

So now, while we all toss out ideas, I largely let him select the songs, and he makes the set lists every night. It's one less thing that I have to do, and it seems to keep him happy, which makes the rest of my job that much easier.

[jcadmus]

Wow, a drummer with an opinion -- we need that.

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

If I have two incomplete bands, can I complain about finding mucisians for them in this thread?

[EddiePlaysBass]

It's one less thing that I have to do, and it seems to keep him happy, which makes the rest of my job that much easier.

 

Exactly what I thought. I'll let the singer pick songs, and I'll play them. If the rest of the band disagrees, I'll tell them to pick it up with him instead of me.

 

If I have two incomplete bands, can I complain about finding mucisians for them in this thread?

 

Yes

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

I have too incomplete bands and I'm having trouble finding musicians.

 

There.

[b5pilot]

As far as song selection goes the one who has to sing them picks them. I have no problems with that unless We just can't do them justice as we are just a 3 piece band.

 

I have a bit of a problem with my band. We seem to be losing gigs and crowds. I think it's mainly due to these issues.

 

We seem to lack energy. I think we need a front man or some fresh blood as I think we are getting to be boring. Our main singer is the drummer. Guitar player sits on a stool. I tend to get stuck behind a PA column. Very little audience interaction. We just don't seem to be fun in my opinion. Sadly I don't see us getting another person because we don't get paid that much and our guitar player is already grumbling a bit that we aren't making the money he thinks we should be making.

 

Our song selection is getting dull and the crowd doesn't seem into it as much as they used to. We need a few more upbeat tunes or something to get the party started. And keep it going.

 

We need lighting. I hate being in the dark and even when we do use lighting its dark colors like blues and reds and not pointed by our faces usually at our feet or midsections. Apparently we must have self image issues.

 

I think we need to turn up the vocals a bit. If I had a dollar that someone has come up to us and asked that we turn up the vocals I'd have me that Dingwall. Guitar player owns and runs the PA. In general the mix is perfect except for that. He refuses to fix it as he thinks the vocals are the weakest part of the band and doesn't want to oversell them. He may be right but I think it's hurting us. I know at practices I'm the one that gets the most criticisim about my vocals. That's fine but I am usually singing at the top of my range or beyond and I wouldn't mind at all once again finding a front man or woman to take the burden off of me. That would most definately help the vocals. I will still sing but only when I need to and in my range.

 

Guitar player is the leader of the band. Every song seems to have a solo and we do a couple of instrumentals and I think it's beginning to bore the audience. Our guitar player is very good but with so many solos he repeats a lot of his tricks and I think people are beginning to pick up on them. There are some that like solos but I think the majoriy of the folks tend to get a little bored.

 

Sorry for the loooong post but last nights gig kind of bugged me and I had to get some stuff off my chest.

[EddiePlaysBass]

As far as song selection goes the one who has to sing them picks them. I have no problems with that unless We just can't do them justice as we are just a 3 piece band.

 

My beef with our particular singer is: we ALL pick songs that are well within his vocal range. It's not a matter of him not being able to sing them, it's all about him not liking any tune he does not get to pick himself.

 

And currently he's hung up on Mike Ness (vocalist for Social Distortion) because then he can go Tom Waits on us and do the raspy vocals which throw out his voice three minutes into the first song he sings like that.

 

Not to mention that most Mike Ness tunes (that our singer picks) are the same 3 chords from start to finish. No changes, no modulation, nothing. Heck, even the Ramones modulated the sh*t out of their 3 chord punk tunes !

[jeremy c]

Is there actually an audience that would pay to hear covers of those tunes?

[J. Dan]

I have a bit of a problem with my band. We seem to be losing gigs and crowds. I think it's mainly due to these issues.

 

Vocals definitely need to be out there. If they aren't strong enough, the solution isn't to turn them down, it's to get a better singer.

 

Lights and sound issues can be solved buy hiring somebody to run lights and sound. Sort of a catch 22 in that it will cost you money, but then again, you need to look and sound good to be landing gigs that pay good money.

 

Trust me, you can be a 4-pc, hire sound and lights, and make good money if you're picking good songs and delivering them well. Just adding a singer who is a good energetic front person may help snap you guys out of it and get excited. Guitar player shouldn't be sitting, no excuse for that - it's just boring. It says to the audience "not only is our music so boring that you should not get out of your seat to dance, but I'm gonna just go ahead and sit down up here while I'm playing it as well". Pick how you want the crowd to react to you, and do that x10 on stage.

[Bottom End]

I'd say vocals are more important than lights,

[b5pilot]

To be fair, the guitar player has health issues and can't stand for long periods of time. Our vocals really aren't that bad except maybe for me but that is because I get stuck singing the high parts which my range really isn't suited for. We could really use a natural tenor or alto for the band. Our vocal levels just need to be elevated which means the guitar player needs to drop his stubborn streak. Other than that the mix is perfect. We really don't need a sound or light tech for the places we play, but we seriously need to illuminate the band better at the very least. I guess my biggest complaint is is that we just need to breathe some new life and energy into the band as I have my doubts that we will get many bookings in the future if something doesn't change. We've had people sit in and sing with us and the energy level jumps. It's just convincing the guitar player to accept less pay until things pick up.

[EddiePlaysBass]

We've had people sit in and sing with us and the energy level jumps. It's just convincing the guitar player to accept less pay until things pick up.

 

Well, if you get decent gigs now and you feel the energy is lacking, adding a singer (perhaps someone who also plays an instrument) would increase your performances, thus leading to better & better paid gigs. So the guitarist is actually shooting himself in the foot by not wanting to add a group member.

[SteveC]

We only do songs the singer picks. We tried calling other stuff, but we get the wrinkled nose, head shake, "I'm not feeling it" response so we said fine, you pick 'em so when we call a tune you have no excuse.

 

We still get "the look" from him.

 

Singers.

[Graham56]

b5pilot writes:

our guitar player is already grumbling a bit that we aren't making the money he thinks we should be making.

Going by your own description you have a band lacking in energy and enthusiasm, without a strong front person, with less-than-stellar vocals buried in the mix, playing in the dark and with a guitarist who sits.

 

It sounds like you need to point out that at the rate you are going he soon won't be earning ANY money with this band.

 

He's grumbling that he's not earning enough money. If he doesn't like your suggestion of getting a singer/front person, what solution does HE propose?

 

Cheers

 

Graham

[EddiePlaysBass]

We only do songs the singer picks. We tried calling other stuff, but we get the wrinkled nose, head shake, "I'm not feeling it" response so we said fine, you pick 'em so when we call a tune you have no excuse.

 

We still get "the look" from him.

 

Singers.

 

Same here. He wanted to do Chuck Berry's "No Particular Place To Go". Hey at least it was a big hit here in a translated version, which retitled it basically to "one sandwich with bacon and one with cheese" (don't ask) so we all agreed. Next rehearsal, he's complaining that he sounds funny singing it and doesn't like to sing it.

 

Tough luck, buddy: you picked it, we liked it, you'll sing it. Think I like playing 3 out of the 4 open strings available for them Mike Ness tunes ? Heck, I'm plucking my upright left handed to make it some kind of challenge ...

[b5pilot]

He's grumbling that he's not earning enough money. If he doesn't like your suggestion of getting a singer/front person, what solution does HE propose?

 

I don't think he has a solution. At one time I found a Myspace site of his where he said he was tired of the bar scene and wanted to find a national or touring act to play with. This in my opinion is rubbish because with his health, he couldn't hold up to the rigours of touring. I've known him for about 30 years and he can be pretty full of himself. Anyway, the last time I looked he had removed it. Seriously I think this band is in trouble and I'll just ride this pony until it either finally dies or they wise up and it gets better, in the mean time I'll try to improve my skills and I suppose check Craig's list or put some feelers out for a band with possibilities that needs a bass player.

[duff beer]

I'll play too...

 

I just quit a band because the guy who played rhythm guitar was FAR too loud and played heavily distorted power chords for every single song...including "Drive" by Incubus and Sultans of Swing.

 

It was a shame because the drummer was good and the other guitar player was very good, but because we practiced at Heavily Distorted Power Chord Man's house he wasn't leaving the band any time soon. He thought he was "putting his own spin on the songs", and I thought he was terribly annoying.

[EddiePlaysBass]

Hmmm, if there is no band, can musicians still irk you ? Apparently yes. Had a bit of a jam with the drummer and guitarist of The Dapper Dans, and we agreed to start a classic rock project, look for a second guitarist and a singer and agreed on a set list, which I asked the drummer to send me.

 

He still hasn't sent the set list, neither seem too keen on actually finding anyone (though the drummer is going to ask a guy he knows) and the guitar player was talking about "changing it up" with regard to the cover songs we agreed on. I sense a I-IV-V in A on all songs coming up.

 

Think I'm gonna take a break from playing in a band, or at least playing with these guys.